BHOPAL WITH BHIMBETKA

At a distance of 6 km from Bhopal Junction, Birla Mandir is a Hindu temple located in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Also known as Lakshmi Narayan Temple, it is one of the popular places of pilgrimage in Bhopal, and among the must-visit places during Bhopal Trip.

Built atop the striking Arera Hills, the famous Birla Temple was built as a tribute to Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Vishnu. It was erected by the famous industrial family - the Birla Group and inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi. The temple is spread over 7.5 acres and is adorned with well-maintained lawns, gardens, fountains, and sculptures. Apart from Lakshmi and Lord Vishnu, this temple also houses a beautiful shrine of Lord Shiva, with his wife Parvathi.

It is one of the oldest and well-maintained temples in Bhopal. The grand temple attracts thousands of devotees during the festivities of Janmashtami and Diwali. Surrounded by greenery and an ancient charm, the temple not only provides a spiritual experience but also a panoramic .....

At a distance of 8 km from Bhopal Junction, State Museum Bhopal is an archaeological museum located on Shyamla Hills in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Situated opposite to Regional Science Centre, it is one of the popular museums in Madhya Pradesh, and among the prominent places to visit in Bhopal.

The State Museum was established as Edward Museum in 1909 AD by the rule of Bhopal state and governed with the name of Ajayabghar in the present central library building. After the formation of Madhya Pradesh state, the museum was shifted to the building at Banganga road and was called as Bhopal Museum. In 2005, the State Museum, Bhopal was inaugurated in a new form in a newly constructed building and is one of the beautiful specimens of architecture.

This museum contains outstanding art pieces & rare antiquities that showcase the rich cultural heritage and historical tales of Madhya Pradesh. The museum comprises 17 galleries on various subjects include thematic gallery, pre-history & .....

At a distance of 8 km from Bhopal Junction, Madhya Pradesh Tribal Museum is a museum located at Shyamla Hills in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Situated just beside State Museum, it is one of the popular museums in Madhya Pradesh, and among the prominent Bhopal Tourist Places.

The cultural tapestry of Madhya Pradesh is woven with varied art, craft, architecture, and customs as it is home to several tribal communities such as the Gonds, Baigas, and Bhariyas. The Tribal Museum in Bhopal brings to life the culture of these tribes through full-scale models and colorful art installations and performances. Established in 2013, the museum was created and dedicated to the tribal people of Madhya Pradesh.

Spread across 7 acres of land, the museum is divided into 6 colorful galleries showing the diversity of the seven tribes of the state - the Bheel, Gond, Korku, Baiga, Sahariya, Bhariya, and Kol. The artistic displays are mesmerizing as it creates awareness about the tribal rituals, customs, .....

At a distance of 8 km from Bhopal Junction, Van Vihar National Park is a national park located in the beautiful city of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Situated on the banks of Upper Lake, it is one of the popular parks in Madhya Pradesh, and among the must-visit places as part of Bhopal Packages.

Declared a national park in 1979, Van Vihar covers an area of about 4.45 sq. km. It has the status of a national park but is developed and managed as a modern zoological park, following the guidelines of the Central Zoo Authority. The animals here are kept closest to their natural habitats, making it a haven for people who love nature. Most of the animals here are either orphaned and brought from various parts of the state or exchanged from other zoos. The park is unique because visitors access it from a road through the park, and security of animals assured from poachers by building trenches and walls, chain-link fence.

Van Vihar National Park categorizes animals into 2 categories, i.e., .....

At a distance of 7 km from Bhopal Junction, Upper Lake is an artificial lake situated in the heart of Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh. Locally known as 'Bada Talaab', it is the oldest man-made lake in Madhya Pradesh, and among the must include places in Bhopal Tour Packages.

Bhopal holds several lakes hence the city is widely known as the city of lakes. Of these, the Upper Lake is the most significant one that lies on the west of Bhopal. Also referred to as Bhojtal, the Upper Lake was created by Raja Bhoj of the Paramara dynasty in the 11th century CE. According to the folklore, once king Bhoj suffered from a skin disease and all Vaidyas failed to cure him. Then, one day a saint told him to build a tank to combine 365 tributaries and take a bath in it to get cured of the skin disease. The king got his engineers to work on the same, with some help from Gond Commander Kalia, who gave him the address of a secret river to bring the total number of rivers to 365. And that was how the Upper Lake .....

At a distance of 3 km from Bhimbetka Bus Stop, Auditorium Cave is an ancient rock-cut cave situated in Bhimbetka, Madhya Pradesh. It is one of the prominent caves in the Bhimbetka Rock Shelters Complex, and among the must-include places in Bhimbetka tour packages.

Among the 15 rock shelters opened for the public, the Auditorium Cave or Cave 3 is the largest shelter, as well as the significant features of the archaeological site of Bhimbetka midst its 750 numbered shelters spread over 10 kilometers on either side and nearly 500 locations where rock paintings can be found. Surrounded by quartzite towers which are visible from several kilometers, the Auditorium Cave comprises a large horizontal tunnel roughly 25 m long leading to a cavernous high-ceilinged chamber with three passageway exits.

The whole cave gallery resembling a 'cathedral-like' atmosphere, with its Gothic arches and soaring spaces. The main entry points to the east. At the entrance, there is a boulder with a .....

At a distance of 3 km from Bhimbetka Bus Stop, the Bhimbetka Rock Shelters & Cave Paintings is an archaeological site situated in Bhimbetka, Madhya Pradesh. It is one of the top places of heritage in Madhya Pradesh, and among the must-include places in Bhimbetka Packages.

Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003, the archaeological site of Bhimbetka is situated inside the Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary, embedded in sandstone rocks, in the foothills of the Vindhya Range. It was discovered in the year 1957, but only in the 1970s that the scale and true significance of the Bhimbetka was discovered and reported. It came under the management of the Archaeological Survey of India in 1990 and was declared a World Heritage Site in 2003.

The site consists of around 750 rock shelters distributed over 10 km (6.2 mi). The Bhimbetka group contains 243 of these, while the Lakha Juar group nearby has 178 shelters. The rock shelters and caves provide evidence of a 'rare glimpse' into .....

At a distance of 3 km from Bhimbetka Bus Stop, the Zoo Rock Shelter is a cave situated in Bhimbetka, Madhya Pradesh. It is one of the prominent caves in the Bhimbetka Rock Shelters Complex, and among the top places to visit in Bhimbetka as part of Bhopal Tour Packages.

Among the 15 rock shelters opened for the public, the Zoo Rock Shelter was the most exciting of all, as well as the significant features of the archaeological site of Bhimbetka midst its 750 numbered shelters spread over 10 kilometers on either side and nearly 500 locations where rock paintings can be found. Also known as Cave 4, it has a large number of animal paintings of all the caves.

There are 453 figures in this shelter comprising 252 animals of 16 different species and 90 human figures. It contains paintings from 10,000 BC - made by lime and from 5,000 - 3,000 BC that were made by vegetable colors and iron. These drawings depict an array of animals that comprise Elephants, Bison, Sambhar, all varieties .....

At a distance of 3 km from Bhimbetka Bus Stop, Turtle Rock is a natural rock formation situated in Bhimbetka, Madhya Pradesh. It is one of the prominent attractions in the Bhimbetka Rock Shelters Complex.

Turtle Rock in Bhimbetka is not a cave or painting of a turtle in the cave. This is a natural rock formation in the form of a turtle. Located in the middle of a wildlife sanctuary, the wilderness surrounding it is breathtaking. From this rock, one can gaze at wide stretches of the wildlife sanctuary. Looking out, one begins to imagine why this was an ideal settlement ground for the earliest inhabitants of our country. The rock shelters provided ideal vantage points to observe the nearby surrounding forests, to search for food, and also to prepare against any incoming danger.

The viewpoint holds an incredible panoramic view of the countryside below which was once a thick Jungle and Bheembetka Caves were Man's refuge from the forest and animals. Only once you come here and .....

At a distance of 3 km from Bhimbetka Bus Stop, the Bhimbetka Kuldevi Temple is an ancient temple situated in Bhimbetka, Madhya Pradesh. It is one of the top places to visit in Bhimbetka as part of Bhopal Packages.

Kuldevi Temple at Bhimbetka is dedicated to the goddess Vaishno Devi. According to history, the temple was set up by the Pandavas during their exile for their Kul-Devi, Maa Vaishno Devi. It is a large cave-temple inside a mountain. Outside the temple is a large Rock-seat that overlooks the entire valley, termed 'Bheem ki baithak'or seat of Bheem used by him, while he was in exile.

Today, the importance of the temple is that the first bonfire of Holi is lit here and when it is spotted in the plains below, the rest of Holi festivities commence. It is also known for the annual Ram Navami fair. A large number of devotees visited the temple during this time to get the blessings of Maa Vaishno Devi.

Timings: 7 AM - 6 PM

Bhimbetka Rock Shelter Entry: Rs. 25 .....

At a distance of 30 km from Bhopal Junction, and 34 km from Bhimbetka, Bhojpur Temple is an ancient Hindu temple located at Bhojpur in Madhya Pradesh. Also known as Bhojeshwar Temple, it is one of the beautiful shrines located near Bhimbetka and among the popular places to visit as part of Bhopal Tour Packages.

Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Bhojeshwar Temple is an incomplete Hindu temple believed to have started in the 11th century CE, during the reign of the Paramara king Bhoja. The Jain writer Merutunga, in his Prabandha-Chintamani, states that Bhoja constructed 104 temples in his capital city of Dhara alone. However, the Bhojpur temple is the only surviving shrine that can be attributed to Bhoja with some certainty. The construction was abandoned for unknown reasons, with the architectural plans engraved on the surrounding rocks. The temple has been protected and maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

Bhojpur Mandir is a simple square with an outside portion .....

At a distance of 8 km from Bhopal Junction, Bhopal Ropeway is located in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. It is one of the must-experience things to do in Bhopal.

The Bhopal Ropeway is located at Manubhan Tekri, a very famous Jain temple in the city. The temple is located at a very secluded and sacred site, and to get here you must use a special ropeway that gives you access to some really beautiful sights of the city. The ropeway used to reach the Jain Temple in Manubhan Takeri and offers a fascinating view of the city when the sunset covers the city-sky in a blanket of warm orange.

Timings: 6.30 AM - 8 PM

Entry: Rs. 50 for Person

At a distance of 7 km from Bhopal Junction, Cave Temple is a sacred Hindu shrine located in the Lalghati locality of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Situated on top of a small hill, it is one of the popular places f pilgrimage in Bhopal, and among the prominent attractions to visit during your Bhopal Trip.

Also known as Gufa Mandir, the Cave Temple was discovered in the year 1949 by Shri Mahant Narayandas Ji Tyagi. The spacious temple complex comprises 7 natural caves hence this temple was named Cave Temple. One of these seven caves has the self-styled Shiva's Pindi, whose vision only fulfills the wishes of the devotees. The cave that holds the Shiv Lingam is supplied by natural water that never goes dry even during the summers.

Just below the cave in the temple complex, beautiful tableaux of deities like Shri Radhakrishna and Shri Ram Janaki Laxman are installed. There is an establishment of a famous temple in the courtyard by the name of old Hanuman Ji. Apart from this, the Durga .....

At a distance of 4 km from Bhopal Junction, Taj-ul-Masajid, or Taj-ul-Masjid is a 19th-century mosque located at the heart of Bhopal city in Madhya Pradesh. It is one of the largest mosques in India, and among the must include places in Bhopal Trip.

Literally means 'The Crown of Mosques', the Taj-ul-Masjid is one of the largest mosques in Asia. The construction of the mosque was initiated by Nawab Shah Jahan Begum of Bhopal (1868-1901) during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar and continued to be built by her daughter Sultan Jahan Begum, till her lifetime. But the mosque was incomplete due to lakh of funds. After a long lay-off, its construction began once again in 1971 and was completed by 1985. The entrance (eastern) gate was renovated grandly using ancient motifs from circa 1250 Syrian mosques by the contribution of the Emir of Kuwait to commemorate the memory of his departed wife.

A classic illustration of Mughal architecture, Taj-Ul-Masajid is sprawling .....

At a distance of 4 km from Bhopal Junction, Gohar Mahal, also spelt as Gauhar Mahal is an ancient palace located in the Peer Gate area of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Perched on the banks of the serene Upper Lake, it is one of the beautiful heritage structures in Bhopal, and among the top places to visit as part of Bhopal Packages.

Gohar Mahal was constructed in the year 1820 by the first female ruler of Bhopal, Qudsia Begum who is popularly known as Gohar Begum. This three-storied palace was the residential as well as a working place for the Begum. Maintained by Madhya Pradesh Tourism, it is one of the finest specimens of architecture and craftsmanship of the Nawabi era. Built with a perfect blend of Hindu and Mughal styles of architecture, the palace is ornamented with intricate interior carvings and beautiful decorations on the exterior.

The splendid three-storied structure has an entry from the lakeside. The surrounding of the palace is beautifully landscaped with lawns and .....

At a distance of 4 km from Bhopal Junction, Shaukat Mahal is a historical structure located in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Situated at the entrance to the Chowk area, it is one of the most unique architectural marvels of Bhopal, and among the top places to visit in Bhopal.

Shaukat Mahal was constructed in the 1830s as a wedding gift for Sikander Jehan Begum, the first full-fledged female ruler of Bhopal. It is an integral part of the famous royal quadrangle of Bhopal around the Iqbal Maidan, earlier known as Khirniwala Maidan. Architecturally it is a bit of an oddity compared to other buildings in the heart of Bhopal, the building has many western elements combining both Post Renaissance and Gothic styles. This is due to the design being attributed to the Bourbons of Bhopal, widely considered to be descendants of renowned French kings.

Built with a mix of Indian-Islamic and European Styles, the roof of the building is adorned with a series of complicated triangular-shaped arches .....

At a distance of 5 km from Bhopal Junction, Rani Kamlapati Palace is an ancient palace located inside Kamla Park in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Situated on the bridge connecting the Upper Lake and Lower Lake, it is one of the heritage places to visit in Bhopal.

Rani Kamlapati Palace was built in 1722 by Queen Kamlapati, the widow Gond ruler of Nizam Shah, Chief of Ginnorgarh. The palace lies on the eastern side of the ancient embankment known as Bhojpal, built by the Paramara Rajput King Bhoj (AD 1010-1055) from which the present name Bhopal is derived. It has been designated as a Monument of National Importance in 1989 and is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). This monument was declared protected by the Government of India in 1989 and since then Archaeological Survey of India remains the custodian.

The architecture of Kamlapati Palace is an example of contemporary secular architecture of the early eighteenth century and the earliest extant example in Bhopal .....